Quotes by Richard Curtis

• Again, we turn down most books that have been self-published unless they have a special track record. We have taken a small number on, however, and sold them to major publishers for a nice sum. But that is an exception to the rule.
• Except for a few small presses, most publishers are north of Ground Zero.
• I do send out information about my books. Very few people buy the books that way, but I always feel that if they want to know more about the process, they can get the information from my books.
• I have no problem selling books to media franchises and we do it all the time. The author must understand that he/she is a writer for hire and has no control over copyright or over editorial changes made to the text.
• I tend to turn down books originally published as e-books. As for selling books directly to e-book publishers, I would do so only if all traditional publishers had turned them down.
• You have to remember that in addition to running a literary agency, I am also an ebook publisher.
• It's always a mistake for writers to key their submissions to world events, because they move so quickly and unpredictably, as has certainly proven the case in Afghanistan.
• We now open our mail with gloves and mask, though I can't imagine why anyone would target a literary agency!
• We are taking a business-as-usual position at my agency, though business before 9/11 wasn't that hot either!
• We are forced by the major publishers to include electronic rights in the contracts we make with publishers for new books. And there's very little we can do about that.
• The real effect of the WTC calamity has been depressed spirits, anxiety, and uncertainty among publishers, and of course those emotions are not restricted to publishers.
• Laboratories can reduce risk by implementing a proven and internationally accepted quality assurance technology that is applicable across the globe.
• The key factor is whether the agent is a member of the Association of Authors' Representatives, which screens its members and requires them to uphold a Canon of Ethics.